Courtesy of Evan Young
New London is nicknamed the “Whaling City” owing to having been one of the most prosperous whaling towns in the United States beginning in the early 19th century. Although the whaling industry has died down significantly since then, this history continues to have an important part of New London culture, as has maritime industry in general. Not only is New London home to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, which produces officers to lead said service, it is also the namesake for Naval Submarine Base New London, located across the Thames River in Groton, as well as General Dynamics Electric Boat, which builds a significant amount of the U.S. Navy’s nuclear submarine fleet. It can certainly be said, then, that New London has a very deep connection to maritime culture, and the same can certainly be said of recreational fishing, which bears a surprising niche at Connecticut College.
Two courses offered at Conn are listed under the Physical Education department, and both of which consistently become some of the most competitive courses to register owing to high demand and small cohort size. These two courses are Saltwater Fishing and Freshwater Fishing, and each course is offered in the Fall and Spring semesters, respectively. Spearheaded by Head Coach for Women’s Soccer Norm Riker, the classes not only provide the basic skills and fundamentals of angling, but also the rods, tackle, and experience as well. A recreational fisherman on the side, Coach Riker has been strongly invested in the activity since his youth, and jumped at the opportunity to facilitate it as a course as soon as the opportunity presented itself. “It was summer of 2020, and our athletic director, Mo White, asked if anyone could teach a course outside. I immediately answered, “I have two!”, and freshwater and saltwater fishing were born!”
The two courses generally have a cohort of eight students. Regardless of prior experience or lack thereof, each student is taught how to operate a fishing rod, how to tie certain knots, and basic safety information, such as how to identify certain environmental hazards an angler might come across. Provided with all of the equipment necessary to bring in some fish, students are able to fish off of boats up and down the Thames in the Fall, or at various ponds during the Spring for Freshwater. “The enjoyment of being on a river or pond with the group is an experience no classroom can duplicate, not to mention the excitement that is had when a fish is caught,” says Coach Norm. “I am honored and privileged to be a professor at Connecticut College, and my pride is enhanced to teach two classes where the students don’t want to leave!”
Students rave about the opportunity to take on these courses, which sharply contrast with the typical image of a Connecticut College classroom course. Of the Saltwater Fishing course, Lucy Morrison ’26 reflects how “Conn’s fishing class gave me a chance to reconnect with my favorite childhood hobby, and now I have the perfect way to get me and my loved ones outside!” As a result of having taken Saltwater Fishing in the Fall, I have personally developed a newfound love for this activity that I had never done before. I would ultimately invest in my own rod and tackle and fish off of the Thames with fellow Saltwater alum Dennis Delaney ’26 to great success, wherein we found ourselves a good number of Striped Bass. If a course can foment a level of passion for a completely new activity, then Coach Riker is certainly doing many things right.
